n Balsam Fir: Lovely balsam scent, sturdy branches, needles stay for a long time.
n Canaan Fir: Longer needles, loose ‘‘bottle-brushâ appearance.
n Concolor Fir (aka White Fir): Silver-blue color, flat needles that last, has a citrus smell.
n Douglas Fir: Blue-green color, sturdy branches, extremely long-lasting needles.
n Fraser Fir (aka Southern Balsam): Needles are green on top and silver underneath, another bottle-brush type tree, sturdy branches, excellent needle endurance.
n Scotch Pine: Blue-green color, has that special triangular shape, keeps its needles for an extremely long time.
n White Pine: Blue-green color, soft needles, maintains its wonderful fragrance and needles throughout the season.
n Colorado Blue Spruce: Dark green to deep blue color, strong branches, long-lasting needles.
n Norway Spruce: Dark green color, but you have to make sure it’s taken care of or it’ll lose its needles quickly.
n White Spruce: Blue-green color, and this is another tree that you’ll have to take care of or it’ll lose its needles before Santa comes down the chimney.
It’s time to choose: buy a locally-grown cut or balled and burlapped tree (one you can plant).
If you want to plant it, get out there now and dig that hole making sure it’s big enough and fill it with mulch so it doesn’t freeze. It’s best to keep the soil you take out of the hole in a garage or somewhere where it’ll be covered and won’t freeze, too. You really don’t want to plant a tree with frozen soil. Not a good thing.
When you get your living tree home, put it in a sheltered area where it won’t get ex-posed to the elements. The tree can’t last in the house for more than a week to 10 days so plan, plan, plan.
The root ball needs to be kept moist so place a piece of plastic underneath to catch spills. Keep the tree away from any heat source. Don’t use those hot lights, either. Use the cooler ones and always be sure they work.
When the holidays are over, put the tree back in the sheltered area for a few days so that it can acclimate to outdoor temperatures. After-ward, move the tree to the hole where it’ll be planted, remove the wrapping and any wires or string that encompasses the rootball but don’t remove any soil from the rootball. Place it in gently, add your saved unfrozen soil, then mulch it well. You could stake the tree then, too, in case of heavy winds. Keep an eye on it during the winter and it should be fine.
Cut trees need a fresh one-inch cut from their bottoms then put into a large holder and always make sure it has water! Keep it away from radiators, vents, or fireplaces. After the holidays, place it in the yard to decorate it with edible treats for the birds.
You can also check where you bought it to see if they’ll take it at the end of the season or you can take it to the Blair County Compost Facility. Call 941-6675 to learn when they’re open for business.
To share that Christmas spirit, visit www. christmasspiritfoundation.org and donate to buy a Christmas tree for needy U.S. children or for our troops throughout the world.
Feel that spirit!
Arnold is a member of the Garden Writers Association. E-mail her at fromygarden@ netzero.com or write to her in care of this newspaper.
